Artificial sweeteners cannot raise blood sugar level, says study

Artificial sweeteners alone cannot raise your blood sugar.

According to a study in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the researchers concluded that artificial sweeteners don’t affect blood sugar levels.

Artificial sweeteners provide a sweet taste without adding a lot of calories or carbohydrates, which can be beneficial to someone living with diabetes.

“This study gives us a green light for artificial sweeteners as far as blood sugar is concerned, but people with diabetes have to remember everything else that’s there around the artificial sweetener,” said Maudene Nelson, certified diabetes educator.

“Sugar substitutes don’t give sugar-free chocolates and candy a ‘health halo,'” Nelson said, explaining that these foods still have carbohydrates, fats and protein, which can all affect blood sugar.

For example, if someone has black coffee with an artificial sweetener, their blood sugar might go up because of the caffeine in the coffee.

Also, if one has coffee with an artificial sweetener and a splash of low-fat milk, the milk contains carbohydrates that can raise blood sugar.